You Gotta Check Out: The J. Peterman Company Catalog

Not much rivals the joy I feel when I see my J. Peterman Company catalog call to me from the tiny, covered shelter of the mailbox. When that beauty of stapled pages arrives it means reading and enjoying every single carefully chosen word that helps take you to another place, perhaps another time, and even a different world far from your daily dealings, while also selling you products that J. Peterman never apologizes for when you glance at the price. He is, after all, doing you a favor as he travels the world to bring you items that are unique, of high-quality, and absolutely exotic.

Did you think J. Peterman was a fictional man and company taken from Seinfeld episodes? No, my friend. The story is rather interesting, however, for there is, indeed, a Seinfeld Show connection with John O'Hurley, the actor who portrayed the J. Peterman legend. Click here, if interested.

Flipping through the catalog is about as close as I'll get to the adventurous lifestyle of J. Peterman, but what a pleasurable, romantic journey it is. I spend hours drinking in every piece of imagery on the page. I am captivated by the artistry of watercolor drawings showing each item for sale. That's right, there is not one photograph in the entire catalog. Each booklet is a work of art in its own right: not only by image made by the brush, but by imagery made by artistic words.

Tell me the following product description doesn't just make you swoon? And, each page has a title that captivates you to read more, learn more about the story behind the item, because, there is always a story. I just love this kind of writing!

Dancing on the Hood of a Bugatti.

"Barefoot, of course. Shelby Lynne easing from the car speakers, you doing a slow-motion swirl in this dress, expressive, free of any other thought except the sun in your face and the breeze in your hair. When we met for dinner at Le Sixieme later that night, you had a gardenia pinned to this dress, from where or whom, I don't know. I was just impressed with your mind and your dinner selection; duck with green olives. I don't know if it's the dress or the person wearing it, or maybe it's the person you become when wearing it. Please let me know." - J. Peterman, early Spring 2013, page 2

It reads like a novel, no? Indulge yourself into this world of romantic intrigue and sign-up for your own J. Peterman catalog. It's your passport to unexplored lands, brought right to your door. And the best part, it's FREE! So, click on over and subscribe today and you'll see exactly why I'm head-over-heels in love with this Peterman-fellow (well, his catalog, at least).

I was not compensated in any way by J. Peterman, or anyone else for that matter, to write this post. The experience and opinions are strictly my own. If, however, J. Peterman would like to thank me for this resounding declaration, I'll take the Wonders of Winter Cabled Cotton Cardigan from page 8 (Early Spring 2013) in a Medium. Thank you! 

You Gotta Check-Out: Red Envelope

Sentimental? Yes! Cheesy? NEVER! Is there any question that Red Envelope has the most unique, high-quality gifts imaginable? Valentine's Day is just around the corner with plenty more occasions to celebrate afterwards so, save yourself a trip of perusing humdrum gift selections at your local department store and click on over to Red Envelope. The hardest part will be choosing just one item to love!

I was looking for a unique Valentine's gift for Super Hubby and I had a hard time narrowing down my selection to just one item. After hours of deliberation, I decided to get him this Made in America wood cutting board made from sustainable solid maple. It's personalized (like many Red Envelope gift selections) thanks to laser-cutting right into the wood and I had a choice of several different styles. And, talk about reasonably priced, too! The best part to this cutting board is, with proper care and seasoning, the wood will age to a beautiful finish, getting better with time (just like our marriage).

This cutting board hails from Dorset, Vermont, from the J.K. Adams Co. Red Envelope scours the globe for unique items like this one and gathers all this high-quality selection just for you, the online shopper. You can see the color of the maple is simply gorgeous. The deep well around the cutting board will hold meat juices at bay. Just look at the deep etching of the personalized design in the center. Honestly, I love it so much, I don't think we'll be cutting anything on it anytime soon, it's that beautiful! Would you cut-up a pork roast on a Picasso? I don't think so. I truly do find this cutting board a natural work of art.

The best part is Super Hubby's reaction to it. Yes, I know it's not Valentine's Day, yet, but I did have to publish this post. So, early gift! He's very rarely, if ever, impressed and even he commented on how nice the board was. If you know Super Hubby, you know this is a Super Big compliment!

Ordering was super-simple and you were e-mailed the details of your order from the time it left the manufacturer to the time it would be at your door. How do they do that? The best part is YOU, yes YOU, get to pick the day you want it delivered. Is that cool, or what? In a world of Free Shipping, it was a bit of a bummer to pay for shipping, but Red Envelope discounts are found everywhere on the Internet, so be sure to take advantage of coupons to help offset shipping costs.
So, what are you waiting for? Head on over to Red Envelope and spend some time browsing their unique items. You will not find a better selection of unique, customized gifts any where else and where quality is never compromised.

Although Red Envelope provided me with $65 off any order to review their products and site, the opinions of my experience are represented honestly and are strictly my own. Does this mean I'm really cheap when I buy gifts for Super Hubby?

You Gotta Checkout: Matchbook Magazine

Current Issue

 OK, you know that feeling you get when you open up the mailbox and find, sitting there in all its shrink-wrapped glory, your monthly magazine subscription? You get all giddy because you know it means, if only for a few hours, down time and escape from the everyday. Some rest for the bones, some mindless gawking at glossy pages and beautiful people, and, of course, some raunchy gossip, if you're into that sort of thing. Ahh- I can smell the bubble bath now.

I get that same feeling when Matchbook Magazine's latest issue pops into my e-mail's Inbox. This magazine is absolutely amazing! Launched in January of 2011, "Matchbook is an online lifestyle publication celebrating classics - shaken not stirred." I am absolutely captivated by the over 100 beautifully laid-out pages. It's all about home decor, culture, fashion, art, and entertaining: the best of the best. They consider each issue to be a "field guide to a charmed life." Charmed? I'm sure, because this monthly goodness comes to you FREE! Nada, zero, nothing! Sign-up for your e-mail subscription today!

I was not compensated in any way by Matchbook Magazine for sharing this treasure with you today. 

You Gotta Check Out: Shari's Berries

Happiness is finding this package on your front porch.

'Tis the holiday season. Time to put a little effort and planning into gift-giving for those that are hard to buy for. The added stress of it just takes away some of the joy in our days of wanting to be merry and bright. Want a killer gift that will win anyone over, anytime? Check out Shari's Berries. I warn you to have a napkin at-the-ready as you browse their deliciousness (you know, to wipe up the drool).

It was my first time ordering any kind of chocolate-covered strawberries from an online store. Quite frankly, I didn't think the concept was even possible. Too many obstacles like shipping, compromising taste and quality, freshness, etc. The contents of my order proved me wrong as Shari's Berries seems to have flown over every hurdle, delivering luscious, chocolate-covered goodies right to my door.

I ordered the Hand-Dipped Fruit Trio.

Hilarious!

Let's start with the shipping. Every detail is met to ensure top-shelf quality. Beyond choosing the exact date YOU want it delivered to your door, beyond the e-mails informing you of your order's shipping status, the packaging itself is an engineering marvel. They thought of everything from padding the inside of the box, to having little absorbent doilies under each berry to catch any natural juices, to incorporating 2 ice packs to keep your order cool no matter whose porch it gets delivered to! And, to top it all off, they do it with a great sense of humor. Check out the verbiage on the box - hilarious!

Don't even talk about the tastiness! Each plump strawberry is blanketed with a rich, creamy chocolate and coated with either nuts, mini-chips, or even a white chocolate coating with milk chocolate drizzle. I purchased the Hand-dipped Fruit Trio, which included chocolate-covered strawberries, chocolate-covered cherries, and a chocolate-covered caramel apple. I know Shari's is known for their berries, but my ultimate flavor experience came from the chocolate-covered cherries - YUMMY! They're like maraschino cherries, stem on, and covered in a variety of chocolates from milk, white, and dark. You've got to try these!

I hope you take the time to browse Shari's Berries and see if you can't find that perfect gift for someone that's hard to buy for. Hey, everyone eats and everyone will enjoy this special treat. Each box even comes wrapped in a ribbon, ready to give! You can trust that the experience will be one that won't disappoint. Explore the Internet for some wonderful coupons for savings you can use.

Special thanks to Shari's Berries for giving me the opportunity to review their product. 

Although Shari's Berries provided me with $65 off any order to review their products and site, the opinions of my experience are represented honestly and are strictly my own.

You Gotta Check Out: Personal Creations

With today's mass production of stuff, it's difficult to find gifts for those you love that are unique, personal, and meaningful. Did I mention high-quality, but affordable, too? Leave that mega-manufactured gift on the shelf and go for something deeper that your recipient will really feel special about. Start clicking your way to Personal Creations and begin enjoying a shopping experience that elevates personal gift-buying to new heights and does it in so many unique ways.

One of my bestest friends lives in the same neighborhood as I do; we're only a couple streets away from each other. I can't say enough about this dedicated wife and mom other than I'm happy and proud to know her. I was given the chance to review a complimentary product from Personal Creations and thought no one was more deserving of a gift than my wonderful friend. I clicked over to Personal Creations and started to shop all the different categories of wonderful gifts. I enjoyed seeing the various options and was really impressed with the personalized flair each gift promised.

I finally decided on a very practical, yet personal gift to give my friend. With those cold Cleveland winters tapping at the front door, I thought no home should be without one of these types of blankets, an afghan throw. We keep 3 at-the-ready in our family room at all times! It was so easy to select the blanket and type-in the personalization that would make this afghan throw unique. Best of all, this $45-blanket was MADE IN THE USA - bonus!!!!!! I opted for the gift box so I could hand it to my friend the moment it arrived. And arrived it did - on time and I knew every step that box took along the way. Personal Creations keeps you informed via e-mail on when your package shipped, shares with you the FedEx tracking number, and also gives an estimated time of arrival. My package beat the odds by one day!

When the package arrived, it was pristine. I opened the carton, dug through lots of green peanuts, and found the gift box held closed by a skinny golden ribbon - nice touch. I did enter a card message during my order checkout but, alas, the card has yet to be found, but that was the only disappointment. My friend was really happy to have received such a personalized gift and I was very happy with the quality of the blanket and the embroidery.

For my friend, the missing card said, "I thought of who I could buy for and it was you! Thanks for being such a great and wonderful friend."

Quick and easy ordering, fast delivery, unique, high-quality gifts: I'll be personalizing many of my holiday gifts this season and I want you to give them a try, too!

Happy shopping!


Although Personal Creations provided me with $50 off any order to review their products and site, the opinions of my experience are represented honestly and are strictly my own. 

You Gotta Check Out: Deliverance Delivered in an Amazon Box

If you've been around this blog long enough, you know that I'm a very spiritual person. I believe I couldn't get through a day of my life on my own if it wasn't for God being by my side. I'm not into religion, but I'm absolutely in love with Jesus Christ. I believe He did not die so we could be religious, but rather, through Him, have a close, intimate, direct and personal relationship with God. I'm not a frequent church-goer (more often than not the sermons aren't even in English) and my church, I'm sorry to say, does more preaching and less teaching (at least that's how the words hit my ears). And for the kiddos, our Sunday School program focuses on teaching our ethnic culture and language rather than direct Bible verses. Despite this lack of formal church worship on my part, I do a lot (and I mean a lot) of Bible study on my own. I get many of my teachings from several sources and I take time to be with God.

When our son was little, it was very easy to take time each Sunday and have an informal Sunday School of our own. We'd go outside under a big tree, sit on a blanket, and read his Children's Bible, discuss the parables and find the morals. It was great and I'll cherish those times forever. But now, he's 10 years old and he needs more than just big print and colorful pictures of Jesus. And, he's too little to plop down a full-blown Bible into his lap and say, "Just read this." He's at an age where sowing the seeds of morality is critical if you want to reap a good harvest in the future.

So, I was on a quest, a mission to find the best (in my opinion) Devotional books for kids (and boys, in particular). I scoured the Internet, researched, asked around, and prayed, and this is what I came up with. Our order arrived yesterday and I am giddy to get started. I perused my selections last night and they look very promising. If it's a bust, I'll be sure to let you know.

Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions for Kids by Sarah Young

Seriously, it doesn't get any more precious than this book. The inside pages are colorful and inviting and the cover just screams "pick me, pick me". Each daily devotional provides a Bible verse, then it presents a devotional from Jesus' point of view. It's as if Jesus is speaking directly to your child. At the end it gives additional Bible verses on the same topic that can be looked up. My plan is to read one each day, together as a family, at meal time, and have a discussion.

The Ultimate Devo for Boys by Ed Strauss

This book is the coolest. Each daily devotional is written in a way that speaks the language of boys. References to video games and LEGOS intertwine with Bible verses and messages; it's brilliant, really. The messages are so clear, and so necessary for young boys stuck in-between the tween years and little boyhood. It embraces topics that ooze honing a good moral compass. And, I love that it broaches the subject of sex, drugs, tobacco, and alcohol in a non-preachy sort-of-way. I'll have my son read a devotional each night right before he goes to bed and have all those good teachings really soak into the brain while he sleeps.

Long Story Short by Marty Machowski

We will do the teachings and activities in this book as a family on Sunday mornings. It is meant to be a daily activity, but despite the claim that it only takes 10 minutes, it would be difficult for us to come together as a family each and every day and make the book work. For our family, we're trying a couple of activities every Sunday. This book is truly family-oriented and Volume 1 (the one I bought) focuses on the Old Testament, but gives clues on how events foretold the coming of Christ. Volume 2 (which I have not found, yet) teaches from the New Testament.

I hope my digging and seeking and researching help save you a lot of trouble if you're looking to get a little more of Jesus into your kids and family. This is homework you can copy. Happy praying!

 

 

Best Graduation Gift Ever

One of the best graduation presents I ever received, besides the Howard Miller Mantel clock that just brings me joy every time I hear its bells ring, was this 3-ring bound book from my sister-in-law. I underestimated it at the time. I was a cocky, new college graduate that was going to rule her own world, all on her own, so the title (or rather the word "Need") threw me off, a bit. Where's Mom Now That I Need Her? is the most useful graduation gift I have ever received. In fact, I still use it today, every Sunday, for the best pancake and waffle recipes known to the Western hemisphere.

The 3-ring binder design is sheer brilliance because the inside pockets of this treasured book is home to guiltily torn-out magazine recipes from doctor's offices, hair salons, and grease-scented lobbies where you wait while your car gets an oil-change, pumped tires, or some car-fix too expensive to want to remember. Yes, this little book has grown fatter than the rest of me over the years and I'm so happy for it. It holds many of my family's stand-by's. The recipes are easy, tried and true, and absolutely delicious. If you don't believe me, then try the French Onion Soup recipe first.

Not only are there recipes in this clever little book, there's tons of information a new graduate will want to know when venturing out on their own. Information like getting out stains in clothes, the proper substitute to buttermilk, first aide, nutritional food facts (like why I should choose the brown-rice option at Chipotle, instead). I've never read it cover-to-cover, but use it as a reference, instead. The 3-ring binder version is a must if you don't want it to get lost amongst the other cookbooks in the moving box that ends up in storage.

There's a companion book called Where's Dad Now That I Need Him?. I never got this book but I suspect it's just as good if the format is the same.

So, what's the best graduation gift you ever received?